The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-15
BOOMING COMMERCIAL UNION
The Question Becomes an Issue In
Nova Scotia Politics.
Attorney General Longley Says Mr..
Blaine Favors 1t.
Annexation Sentiment In Yarmouth
and SheIburne Counties.
rspecIal 70 the Press.l

Especial to the Press.l
HALIFAX. N. S.. Dec. 1.-The people of
| the Maritime Provinces have manifested an
unusual interest in President Cleyeland's s
| message and anxiously look forward to
action by Congress in favor OF reciprocal
trade relations The Liberals are carrying
on the agitation for commercial union with
renewed vigor and regard the alleged failure
of the Fishery Commission TO agree upon a
basis of settlement of existing difficulties,
as an additional argument in favor of COM
mercial union as the only solution. The
canvass in the impending elections in Var
mouth and Shelburne counties is being con-
Quoted on the commercial union issue. The
trade of both counties is almost entirely
with New York and Boston. Several hun
dred fishermen from that district are en-
ployed on Portland, Gloucester and Province
town fishing vessels. These facts have
created stronger annexation feeling in this
quarter of Nova Scotia than in any other
part of Canada. Hence it is believed that a
large majority of people of both counties
are In favor of commercial '.cion. Indeed,
as both counties voted last year for secession
from Canada by overwhelming majorities, it
is believed that almost equally large major
tiles would be rolled up for annexation to
the United States, could a vote be taken
upon that question.
The commercial union agitation is being
conducted by Hon. J. w. Longley, Attorney
General of the Province. He declares that
Mr.. Blaine had privately expressed himself
to him Nongley) as being in favor Of COM
mercial union, and further asserts that in
February last Secretary Bayard suggested
unrestricted reciprocity to Sir Charles Tup-
per as the basis of settlement of all existing
difficulties between the United States and
Canada. Sir Charles Tupper refused the
offer of unrestricted reciprocity, but offered
to negotiate on basis of reciprocity in
natural products. Now that the commission
has ended in fasco, Longley says that
Capada's only hope is to accept commercial
union or to seek annexation to the United
States.
Missionaries from Quebec are inflaming
the French Acadian voters. in Yarmouth
against the government and urging them to
vote for the opposition candidate, because
Sir John Macdonald's government is an
enemy of the Catholic church and of the
French race and is at the dictation of the
Ontario Orangemen. 1t is believed that the
opposition candidates viii be elected in both
constituencies.
Excitement In st. John.
Especial to the Pressl
ST. JOHN, N. B., Dec. 1.-THE loyal Brit
ishers of this city are terribly excited tonight
over an editorial in the st. John Globe,
edited by Hon. John Ellis, member Of the
Dominion Parliament, squarely advocating
annexation. Under the heading "A Practical
Suggestion" Mr.. Ellis says: There is one
simple way by which the whole trouble over
the fisheries on this continent between Great
Britain and the United States can be settled
We invite Mr.. Chamberlain's attention to it
as being simpler than reciprocity, restricted
or unrestricted, simpler than commercial
union or than anything else that can be pro-
posed, and that is by the political union Of
Canada and the United States. The people
will then have one common interest, and
Great Britain win be strengthened where
she is now weak. She would be strength
ened on this continent by the fact that five
millions of loyal Canadians would become
citizens of the United States, and they, in all
matters, would give the preference to the
motherland over every other land but their
own, as Canadians do today. What is there
to keep the two peoples apart? Whatever
was the original cause, the reason for separ-
alton exists only as a sentiment today.
Every reasonable man soberly asks himself
the question, What cause exists for divid-
ing line?' and he cannot answer it to his own
satisfaction. A Canadian full of national
aspirations and wishing national life where
he can secure it, as he can in the United
States. if he thinks over the matter at all,
must think how foolish it is for generation
alter generation of Canadians to keep climb
ing slowly up the hill that leads TO national
independence, when they can at once. by
removing the boundary line, enter into the
full citizenship of an American, with all
that opens before them in science, in law, in
literature, in politics, in the work of religion,
in the national greatness which appeals to
the higher nature of man to fill up the
measure of the best work he can do for man.
kind and for God" Events are crowding
each other so rapidly in Canada that 1t is
only question of time when the people Of
Canada will be asked to settle the question
of annexation at the polls.
Foster is Hopeful.
OTTAWA, Dec. 14.-Mr. Foster, Minister OF
Marine and Fisheries, returned today from
Washington. He says the prospect of the
Fisheries Commissioners coming to an agree
ment is not unpromising.